Wolf Park Wolves | Wolf Stalking Wolves are opportunists. They stalk their prey looking for weaknesses. They rely on their endurance to chase their prey over long distances, sometimes several miles. On the hunt, wolves like to work as a pack where each wolf carries out their role. This image is my favorite image from Wolf Park, so far. To see the entire story with all seven images, go to Wolf Park Wolves | a 7 Image Story.

Wolf Park Wolves | Wolf Wading Wolves are good swimmers, although this water isn’t deep enough to swim. This wolf stare almost seems like a pose for the photographer. Makes me wonder if he looks at his prey with the same stare. Experts tell us the stare is used for communication, including to show dominance, to challenge, or to show trust. Guess, it’s important to know which one. To see the entire story with all seven images, go toWolf Park Wolves | a 7 Image Story.

Wolf Park Wolves | Wolf Eyes The eyes have it. Looking through the viewfinder, those eyes seem to pierce the light, right into you. Wolf eye color ranges from amber/brown or gold to hues of brown, gray, yellow, and green. To see the entire story with all seven images, go to Wolf Park Wolves | a 7 Image Story.

Wolf Park Wolves | Wolves Playing These guys are having a great time. They are part of the main pack at Wolf Park roaming around the large enclosure. Wolves communicate in a variety of ways including body postures, gestures, and sounds. Sounds may include whimpers, whines, growls, barks, and, of course, the howl. The meaning of these postures and sounds vary with the context in which they were made. Their howl, which may be heard several miles away, may be a solo, a duet, or a chorus. Each type of howl gets used for different reasons. For more detailed information on wolves, go to the wolves information page on Wolf Park’s website. To see the entire story with all seven images, go to Wolf Park Wolves | a 7 Image Story.

Wolf Park Wolves | Wolves Scouting What’s out there? Perhaps, it’s a tasty morsel. Or, maybe they know a photographer is trying to get the low angle shot. To see the entire story with all seven images, go to Wolf Park Wolves | a 7 Image Story.

Wolf Park Wolves | a 7 Image Story Although I rarely capture images of captive wild animals, Wolf Park is an exception. It maintains a near wild environment for their wolf pack while providing a wild canid research and education center. Wolf Park is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to behavioral research, education, and conservation. They aid researchers as well as offer tours and seminars to their visitors. For the photog, they offer wolf photography classes and photo shoots several times a year. These images were captured in a spring photo class and shoot. Someday, I’d like to go back in the winter when snow covers the ground.

The wolves at Wolf Park are socialized. They are not afraid of the public and will interact in front of visitors. They are better research animals, maintenance and medical care is easier, and their lives are enriched by allowing them to walk and run in multiple environments including their seven acre natural enclosure. The socialization process starts when the pups are only 12-14 days old. It’s a 24/7-365 process involving both men and woman as well as visits from adult wolves. Pups are bottle raised from a very early age and their environment is kept very stable. People come to them; not visa versa. Socialization is integrated into their lives and continues essentially for their entire life at Wolf Park. Although they are socialized from birth, they still have wolf instincts. The socialization process is very detailed and time consuming. For more information, visit Wolf Park’s website.

Included in the photo classes and photo shoots, is required instruction on safely interacting with the wolves and general behavior while in the wolf enclosure. The large enclosure includes a lake, woodlands, and prairie. Yes, accompanied by Wolf Park staff, you can get in the wolf enclosure to capture images. The wolves are right next to you. Obviously, certain restrictions apply. Flash is permitted. Tripods are discouraged. Camera bags and tripods covered in foam padding are not allowed in the enclosure. Photo sessions are held in most weather, including rain or snow. For more detailed information, see the Photography Page on Wolf Park’s website.

Wolves make beautiful subjects for photographs. The gray wolf ranges in color from all white to solid black. Many wolves are more like a taupe color with the guard hairs sometimes banded with black, white, gold and brown. Wolves have two layers of fur. The outer or guard layer is made up of long colored hairs that shed water and snow. The inner layer is thick gray fur that traps air, insulating the wolf; keeping it warm in sub-zero temperatures. In warmer weather, they shed the inner layer. Their eye color ranges from amber/brown or gold to hues of brown, gray, yellow, and green.

The experience of capturing these images was amazing. It’s an creditable experience, which is virtually impossible in the wild. The enclosure is so big, the class had to follow the wolves as they moved from one area to the next. One time, I was capturing an image of a wolf twenty yards away when another came up from behind me and touched my right arm, just before the click. Wow. After I settled down, I had to make another few clicks. Even though they are accustomed to people and sometimes seem like they are posing for the shot, other times they just wrestle and play, as though we were not there at all. The wolves clearly feel at home.

Wolves communicate in a variety of ways including body postures, gestures, and sounds. Sounds may include whimpers, whines, growls, barks, and, of course, the howl. The meaning of these postures and sounds vary with the context in which they were made. Their howl, which may be heard several miles away, may be a solo, a duet, or a chorus. Each type of howl gets used for different reasons. For more detailed information on wolves, go to the wolves information page on Wolf Park’s website.

Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Wolf Park Wolves.

Snow Makes the Image | Fence Gate This homemade gate opens into fields of grass and wind blown snow. It stands just east of the Bridger Mountains in Montana ranch country. It looks like it was made or repaired recently. It’s just a simple gate made with a post and some barbed wire. Without the snow, the subject would just blend into the background. To see the entire story with all seven images, go to Snow Makes the Image | a 7 Image Story.

Snow Makes the Image | a 7 Image Story Snow images range from being really boring to very dramatic. In each of the images in this 7 Image Story, the snow makes the image. Sometimes, it provides a nice background, which separates the obvious subject and makes stark contrasts. Other times, falling snow provides a translucent curtain in front of the obvious subject. And, some images would not be created at all, unless they were on snow. In fact, in all these images, snow sets the mood of the image. Snows powers the image and the viewer.

Everyone knows it’s snow; a beautiful change in scenery. Snow is plain and simple, yet a magical winter wonderland at the same time. Snow reminds us of earlier, happier, more carefree times in our lives. It brings a fresh perspective; wiping our world clean and rejuvenating our soul. You are never too old to play in the snow.

Capturing a good snow image might require a bit of knowledge and skill. How do you get the metering right in a snow shot so you get the mood you want? Most of the time, it’s fairly easy as along as something in the frame is not snow. Just meter normally on a strong non-snow object and let the camera will do the rest. The snow looks white and the other colors look right. Unless you want that cold blue effect, the white balance may need some adjustment. Sometimes, to capture falling snow, the shutter speed must be slowed enough to capture the flakes. Still, the clicks are relatively simple.

Photog’s Weather

Saturday

Partly Cloudy

High 36°/Low 14°

20%

Sunday

Clear

High 41°/Low 34°

10%

Monday

Rain

High 55°/Low 52°

90%

Tuesday

Rain

High 57°/Low 22°

100%

Some punishment seems preparing for a people who are ungratefully abusing the best constitution and the best King any nation was ever blessed with, intent on nothing but luxury, licentiousness, power, places, pensions, and plunder; while the ministry, divided in their counsels, with little regard for each other, worried by perpetual oppositions, in continual apprehension of changes, intent on securing popularity in case they should lose favor, have for some years past had little time or inclination to attend to our small affairs, whose remoteness makes them appear even smaller. - Benjamin Franklin -